Method of making stovepipe casing



May z2, 192s. 1,670,639

M. R. SHPLEY ET AL Y METHOD OF MAKING STOVE PIPE GASING' Fjled AprilA, 1927 F vl ,By m I( May 22, 192s.

M. R. SHIFLEY ET AL METHOD OF MAKING STOVE PIPE CASNG A 4 sheets-sheet 2 'Filed April 5, 1927 May 22. 1928. M. R. si-HPLEY ET AL METHOD oF MAKING sTovE 'PIPE cA'sngG Filed April 5, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 5 o Il lllll ik@ z I lll 5 J un a u rl 146 /TrOH/YEK May 22, 192s. y Y 1,670,639

' M. R; SHFLEY ET AL METHOD 40F MAKING STOVE PIPE CASING FledApril 5, 1927. n 4 Shee's--Sl'xetv 4 W ffy .12.

f 5%47 l \IL& *in* fw l :19 67 /f E\ 57 7o .il `46 vided with screw Patented May 22, 192s.

I i 1,670,639- f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

:MARION n. SHIPLEY, or MANHATTAN BEACH, ANI) WILLIAM A. TROUT AND OLIVER C. TROUT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA;

SAID WILLIAM A. TROUT AND SAID OLIVER C. TROUT ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO LOS ANGELES MANU'- rAcTuNINcr COMPANY, INc., CALIFORNIA.

Application led April 5,

This invention relates to the art of manufacturing oil well drilling equipment and it relates particularly to an improvement 'in the art of making stovepipe casing vfrom sheet metal.v

As lan oil Well is drilled, a Well casing is at certain intervals advanced into the hole for reinforcing the wall against cave-ins, eX- cluding ground water,- and to form a smooth walled lining forA the well through which drilling tools may be easily 'extended and operated to finish drillng the well.

Two types of casing are used for this pur pose, screw casing and stovepipe casing. Screw casing is made up from sheet wrought iron which is rolled into cylindrical form and welded. Each endof the casing is prothreads which are adapted to be screwed into couplings for joining adjacent sections together.

Stovepipe casing as made at present, com prises inner and outer layers of comparatively soft sheet metal which are rolled into cylindrical form and secured together. either by riveting or by rolling inter-engaging corrugations in the `two layers after they are placedy together. The sections of the outer and inner layers are staggered relative to each other and the entire linear' tensile strength of the'casing resides in theconnec-- tion of each adjacent pair ofsections, in each layer, by a section of the other layer which overlaps and is joinedA to said pair .of sections by riveting, rolling, or some other method. Thus, eachV section of the inner layeroverlaps .and constitutes the only connection between an adjacent pair of sections of the outer layer.

Due to the above noted method by which the stovepipe casing in general use is formed,

lit is necessary that both innen and outer layers be madeof soft metal which wears away quickly when the drill pipe rubs-against the inner layer. hole from straight will cause such a rubbing, and it is common to have the inner layer of casing wornin two, thus causing the entire casing to part at this point.

v In addition to this defect, the linear tensile strength of stovepipe casing as built at Any slight deviation of the OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF METHOD OF MAKING STOVEPIPE CASING. v

1927. serieu No. 181,101.

that when installing a long length of stovep1pe casing, it will pull in two when partially lowered into place. A fairly high linear tensile strength is obtained in the corrugated stovepipe casing, but the inwardly extending corrugations wear through much quicker, when the drill pipe starts to rub than the cylindrical wall of Ordinary riveted stovepipe casing. And when the inner lamination thus wears in two, the casing parts at this point. c

It is an object of our invention to provide astovepipe casing which has a linear tensile strength equivalent to that of any of the present casings, but which will not part should the inne layer thereof be Worn in two.

Moreover, each outward' corrugation in lcorrugated casing `forms a pocket which fills 'cement thus wasted in a thousand feet of casing being excessive. ,Riveted casing on it is almost 'theusual thing" the other` hand is seldom' truly cylindrical so that itis veryditlicult to form a-luidtight tit between a cementinv b casing throu plug and the hout the length of the casing.

lIt is there Ore an object of our inventionl to provide a stovepipe casing which has a smoothand truly cylindrical inner surface which will make a uniformly fluid-tight t with a cementing plug as it passes downward through the casing. v V

It is also an Ob'ect of our invention to provide a process o making a stovepipe casing whereby the inner layer may be made of metal which is too hard tO successfully punch 0r corrugate.;

'making same iin which the casing is` thorg normal operatoughly water-tight under all ing conditions.

The best of stovepipe casing asnow made even when new', and itlis there# vIt is another object of our invention to provide a process of manufacturingy stovepie casingwhich is economical to perform. he present case relates to improvements in the casing and process of making same, r'set forth in the a plication of Marion R. Shipley for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 745,117, filed October 22, 1924.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, in which: I

Fi'g. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing a -Well bore in which is insertedy a preferred form of the stovepipe casing of our invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical medial sectional view of a portion of the casing shownn in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are views illustrating the.- steps of the process by'which the inner and outer lamination sections, which are utilized in the manufacture of our improved casing, areformed.

Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive illustrate the steps.

lower end so that the walls of the well holeh'ave settledinto contact with the outersurface of the casing. The casing 17 is made yup of sections or lengths 18, one of which isl shown completely in Fig. 1, these lengths being vabout forty'feet long and provided at .able set of roller dies which` are disposed theirends with couplings 19 whereby meeting ends of adjacent lengths areconnectcd together. The couplings19 may beof any desired character, the coupling at 'present used for this purpose being shown and described-,in the application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. ;36,841-file'd June 13, 1925, by Oliver C. Trout'for av stovepipe casingcouplin .l

Each of the engths 18 is made lip of a tubular inner lamination 22 and outer tubular lamination 23. The inner tubular ilamination 22 is 'formed of aplurality of sections 24, of the same diameter, which are disposed 'end to end, with the ends thereof abutting.

The tubular outer lamination 23 is formed of a plurality oi sections 25 which are placed `end' t'o end about thetubularinner lamination 22 so that the adjacent ends of the sec `names@ nation 23 tightly grips the innerlamina-` bending a sheet 28 of high carbon steel by the use of .forming clamps 29 abolita mandrcl 30. Opposite edgesv 31 and 32 of the shect28 are .thus brought adjacent to each other and are connected by the application of Welding material to form a welded seam 33. After the seam has been formed, the clamps 29 are released and the section 22 is slid from the mandrel 30.' The inner lining sections 22 thus 'formed on the man-` drel all have exactly the same inner diameter. The gauge of the high carbon steel sheet 28 is sufficiently accurate so that the outsidediameter of the inner laminationa sections 22 is also practically uniform.

The sections 25 and the tubular outer lamination 23 are formed, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. A rectangular sheet of 'ductile steel 35 is first formed in a break so that opposite edge portions .36 and 37 are bent from the body of the sheet 35, as shown in Fig. 4, and the central portion 38 of the sheet 35 is outstruck from the body thereof as shown. The sheet of metal 35 is nowplaced in a press and the edges 36 and 37 and the outstruck projection 38 are pressed flat against the body of the sheet 35, as shown in Fig. 5.

,The bent portions 36 and 37 thus form-ribs 39 and 40 on the opposite sides of opposite edges of the sheet 35 and the outstruck projection 38 forms a fold 41 extending substantially parallel to the-ribs 39and 4() and disposed substantially in the middle of the sheet 35 equidistantlfrom the ribs 39 and 40.

The sheet 35 is now passed betweena suitperpendicular tothe ribs 39 and 4Q and the fold- 41 and which roll the sheet of metal 35 into a tubular outer lamination section 25, as shown in Fig. 6, having a slit 42 formed lengthwise in the Wall thereof. The sheet 35 is rolled so that the rib 39 and the fold 41 are upon the outside of the section 25, and so that the rib. 40 vis disposed on the insidexof thesection 25. In rolling the sheet 35, the end 43 thereof which carries the rib 40 is stretched to form aV bell 44 on the inside of the mouth of which the rib 40 is disposed. Thebell .'24" is of suchl length that I'anannular space 45 .is provided above and ad'acent to the rib 40 which. is of the same axial depth as the rib 39. In addition to stretching the end portion 43 of the sheet 35, it is also necessary in rolling@ the section 25,130 stretchlthe Yrib 39 fand the l'fold 41 so that these will not tend to draw the upper and lower halves 46 and 47 of the section 25 out of true cylindrical shape.

The remaining steps of our novel process of making stovepipe casing are taken up with the assembly of the outer and inner t lamination sections formed as above described. In this assembly a rst outer lamination section 25, as indicated by the numeral 48 in. Fig. 7, is lplaced about two inner sections 22 which are indicated bythe numerals 49 and 50 and which are'placed end to end so that their abutting ends come together within the fold- 41 of the outer section 48, and so that the inner section extends from beyond the rib 39l of the section 48 substaninner sections 49 and 50.

tially half of its length to a point indicated by the numeral 51. The actual applying of the outer section 48 to the inner sections 49 and 50, as just described, takes place prior to the step illustrated in Fig. 7, and the section 48 in this prior step is tightly'gripped by gauge clamps 52 and53 so that the section 48 is forced into tight contact with the The adjacent edges of the slit 42 of the section 48 are then connected as by a welded seam 55 while the section 48 is thus clamped in position. In the clamping operation ofsaid .prior step, the

clamp 52 is applied to the fold 41 of the sec-v tion 48 and the clamp 53 is applied to the body portions 46 and 47. While but-one each of the clamps 52 and 53 is shown in the drawings, any number of these clampsv may be employed suiicient to properly position the section 48 in'tight gripping rela,-

tion with the inner sections 49 and 50, while the welding of the seam 55 takes place. VVh-en the seam 55 has been completed or a sufcient number of spot welds formed through its length to hold the section 48 in the position in which it is 'I clamped, the

clamps are removed and the outer section 48` with the inner sections .49 and 50 gripped therein, are rotated' so that the seam disposed downward as'shown in Fig. 7.

A second outer section 25 indicated by the numeral 58 is now slipped over the exposed half of the inner 'section 50, and the bell 44 of the outer section 58 is disposed about the rib 39 of the outer section 48 so that the rib 39 will iit in to the annular space 45 of the bell of the section 58. The clamp 52 is now placed about thebell '44 of the section 458.

and the bell 44 is forced inward into tight gripping relation with therib 39 lof the section 48, as clearly shown in the detailed sectional view of Fig. 12. The clamp 53 is now placed about the lower half 47 ofthe outer section 58 so as to tightly contract this into contact with the inner section 50. Stops of welding material 60, as illustrated in Fig. 8, are now appliedvto connect the adjacent edges of the slit 42 of the section 58 where these edges are held closely together by the clamps 52 and 53, and thereafterthc clamps are released. A third inner section 22 indicated by the numeral 62 in Fig. 8-is now slid into the upper 'half 46 of the outer section 58 so as to abut against the upper end of the inner section 50 at 51. The clamp 52 is now placed about the fold 41- of the outer section 5 8, the clamp 53 is moved upward toward said fold 41, and the two clamps are tightened into place to cause the portions of the outer section 58 which they contact to tightly grip the inner sections 50 and 62. Further spots of welding material 60 are applied while the clamps are in this position solas to unite other portions of the edges of the sl-it 42 ot' the section 58. By applying the Vclamps 52 and 53 to the upper half 46 of the' tight gripping relation with the inner lamination sections 50 and 62, and, due to the cylindrical gauging effect brought about by the application of the gauging clamps 52 and 53, lthe outer'section S8-andthe inner sections 50 and 62 areunited in a true cylindrical shape which they retain ldue to the welding together of the edges of the slit 42. When the section 58 has thus been entirely secured -in place by the spot welding 60, the sections already lassembled are rotated so as to dispose the seam in the section 58 downward' and the ythird outer section 25, as indicated by the numeral 65 in Fig. 8, is then applied to the outer section 58, the inner section 62 (and another inner section) in the same man ner that the outer section 58 was applied to the outer section 48 and the inner sections 50 and 62. As above indicated, the seams of adjacent outer lsections 25 are disposed 180 apart. The seams of adjacent inner sections are,y likewise diametrically opposed and the diametral plane of the inner sect-ion seams is disposed at an angleot' ninety degrees to that of the outer section seams so that the seams of adjacent outer and inner sections are all disposed either ninety or one hundred and eighty degrees apart, in the cylindrical composite wall of the stovepipe casing 17.

lWhen a sulicient number of innerk and outer sections have thus been connected together to form a length 18, flange members ofthe couplings 19 are applied to the end of the length in the manner described in the above noted application. The spot welds 60 are also joined by further application of welding material to :Form seams 66, as clearly shown in- Fig. 9.

4The essential steps of forming the casing of our -invention are now completed. Itis, however, advantageous to apply a packing 67 of welding ,material between the. lower edge'of each of the bells 44 and the adjacent-outer surface of the next outer section 25. Thisv packing weld 46( is not requiredsto strengthen the joint formed between adjacent outer sections, but is primarilyy for the purpose of making the casing water-tight. viAlso, as a protection against the folds 41 catching on sharp rocks or other objects and being flared outward, a series of spot weldsx 68, preferablyv four in number, are applied between the outer lip of each fold 41 and the outer surface of the section 25 upon which that fold is formed.

By the novel process above described, a

stovepipe casing may be formed with an inner lining of such hard steel that it is not practicable to punch it for rivets, or to corrugate it for the purpose of uni ing adjaf cent sections of'theouter lamination. This advantage is achieved by the forming of adjacent ends of the voutersection so that they may .interlock to form a substantial continuous tubular member and which, While it grips and therefore adequately supports the inner"lamin`atioii, depends for lineal tensile which each outer. lamination section enters-` into an exceedingly tight gripping relation with two adjacent inner sections and 1n an `rwell, due to their being worn by .contact \with the drilling tools, a ,series l of slots 70 'of each of the outer sections 25 so as to per:

entirely separate ipping and linterlocking relation with an a jacent outer section.

--By vvirtue of the separate utility o f the above steps itis possible to form ast'ovepipe casing of sheet metal which has exceedingly high'iiiternal wear resisting qua1- ities and.which will not separate even upon the highly improbable event that the inner wear-resisting lamination should actually Wear in two. While the stovepipe casing described herein isbeing fairly extensively used, there has been no instance where the inner laminationy has been worn in two. s As a safeguard against the dropping of sections of' the inner lamination into the are provided in spiral (relation in the body through the slots which mit spot weldin of the'inner vlamination will connect eac sections 22 to each ofthe outer sections 25 The diameters inwhich the casing 17 is 1,eyo,es9

made at present vary between/12 and 24".

In making casing within these limits, the inner tubular lamination sections `22 are preferably formedof six gauge sheet high carbon steel wall. The outer ylamination sections 25 are preferably formed of eight gauge ductile 'stamping steel. When the outerlamination sections are formed of eight gauge metal, or heavier, .thestrengthv the strength of the body of one of these Y sections intermediate its ends. In a testine machine a tensile force of two thousand pounds was imposed upon a len' th of the casino' 17 and the casing parted etween the joints, the latter being undistorted by this enormous force. y

In addition to the stovepipe casing of our invention having a greater linear tensile strength than that of any casing previously made, it is provided with annular reinforcenient at frequent intervals without sacrificing the smooth inner surface of the casin This annular reinforcement prevents co lapsing of the casing though itmay beu subjected to excessive strains as byl a shifting of one of the strata 16 through which the well 15 extends. Such aA shifting frequently occurs when subterranean pressure has been relieved bya discharge of gas or oil through the well and therefore the reinforcing feature of our stovepipe casing adds greatly to its value. lNo other stovepipe casing previously made has a structure, which provides both a smooth inner surface and annular hundred reinforcing ribs formed integral with the l Wall of .the easing.

In .all other forms of casing the smooth and truly c lindrical inner surface of our casing is lac ing either because of the presence of rivets, corrugations, screw couplings or other featuresessential tothe structure of the easing.V In'our casing all of these features are .eliminated and at the same time a casing is produced which is water-tight and which-is stronger, cheaper, and longer lived than any casing previously known. What we claim'isz' D 1. A process of making stovepipe casing,

said .process comprising: forming a plurality of tubular inner lamination sections;

mit expansion from normal diameter; forming the ends of said outer sections so that ner sections; welding together theed'ges of rio lforminga .plurality of tubular outer lam- ,nation sections so that they aresplit to per- `they 'are adapted to `interlock when said outer; sections are disposed end vto end; clamping one of said outer sections in tight- .ly embracing relation with two .of said in# the split inl said outersection; placing af third in'ner section end'vto end with one of.

saidntwo innen'sections which projects from saidouter section; clamping a second outer section about said projecting inner'sectionand said third inner section in tightly em.- bracing relation therewith and so that adjacent ends of said iirst and second outer sections interlock; and welding together the edges of the split in said second outer sect1on.

2. A process as in claim 1 in which said tubular inner laminat-ion sections are formed accurately to have the desired inside diameter for said casing. t. f

3. A process of making stovepipe casing, said process comprising: forming a plurality of tubular inner lamination sections; forming a plurality of tubular outer lamination sections so that they are split to permit eX- pansion from normal diameter; forming the ends of said outer sections so that they are adapted to interlock when said outer sections are disposed end to end; clamping one of said outer sections inl tightly embracing relation with two of said inner sections; welding together the edges of the split in said outer section; placing a third inner section end to end with one of said two inner sections whichy projects from said outer section; clampinga second outer section about said projecting inner section and said third infirst and second outer sections interlock;

welding together the edges of the split in said second outer section; and packingfthe joint between said first and second outer sections so this is water tight.

4. A process of makin@r stovepipe casing, said rocess comprising: orming a plurality v ofltu ular inner lamination sections; forming a plurality of tubular outer lamination l sections so that they are split to permit ex pansion from normal diameter; forming the ends of said outer sections so that they are adapted to interlock when' said outer sections are disposed end to end; clampingone of said outer sections in tightly embracing relation with two of said inner sections; weld' ing together the edgesI of the split in said uter section; placing a third inner section y.

' endto end with one of said two inner sections which projects from said outer section;

clamping a second outer section about said.

projecting inner section and said third inner sectionv in tightly embracing relation therewith and so that adjacent ends of said first and second outer sections interlock.;

-welding together the edges of the split in said second outer section; and welding the joint between said first and second outer Sections so this is water tight;

-5. A process of makin stovepip'e casing; said process comprising: orming a plurality of tubular inner lamination sections; form'- ing aplurality of tubular outer lamination sections so that they are split to clamping one ot' said outer sections in permit expansion from normal diameter; forming the ends of said outer sections so that they are adapted to interlock When y split in said outersection; placing a third inner section end to end with one4 of said j bead;

two inner sect-ions which projects from said c outer section; clamping a second outer section about said projectlng inner section and said third inner section in tightly embracing relation therewith andso that adjacent ends of said first and secondouter' sections interlock; and welding together the edges of the split in said second outer section. l

6, A process of making stovepipe casing, said processxcomprising: forming a plurality vof tubular inner lamination sections; forming a plurality of tubular outer lamination sections so that they are split to permit eX,- pansion from normal diameter; forming the ends of said outersections so th'aft they are adapted to interlock when saidy outer sec` tions are` disposed end to end; forming a fold in the metal of each of said outer' sections intermediate its ends, said fold consti-- tuting a reinforcing rbeajil; 'clampingpne of said outer sections., in tightly embracing relation with two of said inner sections; weld ing together the edges ofthe split in said outer section; placing a third inner section end to end with fone ofv said two inner sections which projectsI from said outer section; clamping a second outer section about said projecting inner section and said third inner section in tightly embracing relation therewith and so thatjadjacent ends of said first and second outer sections interlock; weldin together the edges of the split in said secon outer section; and securing a lip of said fold of each of said outer'sections to the. outer surface-of saidsection..

los i 7. A process of making stovepipe casing,

mit expansion from normal diameter; form- -ing the ends of said outer sections so that they are adapted to interlock when said outer 'sections are disposed end to end; forming a fold in the metal of each of said outer sections4 intermediate its ends, said fold constituting a reinforcing bead; clamping one of'said outer sections in tightly embracing relation Vwith vtwo of said inner sections; 'weldingvtogether the edges of the split in said outer section;lplacing a third inner section end to end with one of said -two innerlgs sections which projects from said outer 'sectloh; clamping a second outer section about said pro3ect1ng inner sectlon andl said thlrd inner sectionv in tightlyl-embraeing relation lip of said fold of each of said outer sections to the outer surface 'of said section.V l0 In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at` Los Angeles, Californiaf this 30th day of March, 1927.

MARION R. SI-IIPLEY.

WILLIAM `A. TROUT. OLIVER C. TROUT. 

